The present invention relates to a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which controls all kinds of dispensing machines for dispensing work, such as medicine packing machines and medicine bag printing machines used in medical agency such as hospital, pharmacy and so on, in accordance with prescription data.
Conventionally, in a control apparatus for operating a medicine packing machine which distributes and packs medicines having forms of tablets and powder into a packing paper bag in accordance with inputted prescription data, the control apparatus controls a plurality of medicine packing machines and also controls a plurality of medicine bag printing machines each of which prints patient name and dosing method on a medicine bag in which medicines are to be contained.
For example, Japanese patent publication of examined application S64-9201 discloses a medicine packing apparatus which can operate a plurality of medicine packing machines with one control panel by using a data table about medicines.
Japanese patent publication of examined application H3-59 discloses a tablet packing apparatus which concentrically controls a number of medicine packing machines with one controller by transmitting prescription data to a medicine packing machine which is in a non-operating condition.
Japanese patent publication examined application H4-57348 discloses a dispensing control apparatus in which data from a host computer is assigned to an input device of a dispensing machine adapted to the kind of dispensation.
Japanese patent publication of unexamined application H6-312010 discloses a dispensing system control apparatus which, in the case of using a plurality of tablet packing machines, reduces an additional manual supply of medicine and averages operations of machines to contemplate shortening of dispensing time.
However, in any control apparatuses described above, it is necessary to make the control method different in every kind of dispensing machine. Since the kinds and numbers of the dispensing machines are different in every medical institute, it is necessary to design and fabricate the dispensing machines of different specifications in every medical institute. In addition, equipment and monitoring methods are different in every kind of dispensing machine, resulting in complication of operation when using the dispensing machines. Particularly, in the medicine packing machines and the medicine bag printing machines, although it is desired to exclusively use each machine by classifying them into inpatient/outpatient, the aforementioned control apparatuses have provided no solution to this.
In any of the control apparatuses described above, a countermeasure in the case of shutdown of the dispensing machine due to an error is not sufficient. For example, the dispensing control apparatus disclosed in Japanese patent publication of examined application H4-57348 can only output such a kind of dispensing data, as a dispensing direction, that can not be dispensed. Therefore, in a busy dispensary, there has been a disadvantage that no one becomes aware of stagnancy of work (packing work of tablets and capsules, forming work of medicine bags and so on). The larger the kinds and the number of the dispensing machines become, the more the above advantage becomes remarkable. Therefore, it has been desired to intensively monitor the use, e.g., operation status, situation of the dispensing machines and, if it seems to take a long time to recover from the shutdown due to the error, make it impossible to use the dispensing machine concerned in order to eliminate the stagnancy of work. It has been also desired to make it possible to obtain information regarding the situation of occurrence of errors in order to explore the cause of the error.
Therefore, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which can easily set up plural kinds or plural numbers of dispensing machines in the same manner.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which can unitarily control and accurately grasp situation of occurrence of errors in dispensing machines.
As a means to accomplish the first object, the present invention provides a control apparatus for dispensing machines which operates and controls a plural kinds or a plural numbers of dispensing machines in accordance with a prescription data. The control apparatus of a first embodiment comprises:
a hard disc unit for storing an use condition setting file comprising use condition of each dispensing machines; and a central processing unit for selecting an usable dispensing machine in accordance with both the prescription data and the use condition of each dispensing machines stored in the use condition setting file.
According to this construction of the present invention, when the prescription data is inputted, the usable dispensing machine can be automatically selected in accordance with the use condition setting file. Since data concerning to the use condition of each dispensing machine is stored, all dispensing machines can be unitarily controlled. Thus, the control apparatuses need not be designed and fabricated in different specifications in each medical institute. In addition, even in the case of extending the dispensing machine, the control apparatus need not be altered and operation of dispensing machine is also simplified.
Preferably, the use condition setting file stored in the hard disc unit includes a prescription classification showing any one of a prescription to outpatient, a prescription to inpatient and an undesignated prescription. Whereby, each machine number of the plurality of dispensing machines can be exclusively used to inpatient/outpatient prescriptions, enabling to enhance efficiency of all dispensing works.
Preferably, the central processing unit displays the use situation of each dispensing machine on a monitor screen, enabling early finding of the error and preventing stagnancy of work.
Preferably, the central processing unit, when judging that there is no usable dispensing machine in accordance with the prescription data and the use condition setting file, temporarily stores the prescription data and displays the error situation on the monitor screen, thereby more effectively preventing the stagnancy of dispensing work.
As a means to solve the second problem, the present invention provides the above control apparatus, wherein the hard disc unit stores a serious error setting file comprising serious errors among errors which occur in the dispensing machines, the serious errors being possible to arbitrarily set, and wherein the central processing unit judges whether an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file.
According to this construction of the present invention, the serious errors can be arbitrarily set in every dispensing machines and can be unitarily controlled in accordance with the serious error setting file.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit displays the situation of the serious error on the monitor screen. Whereby, an operator can easily obtain information regarding the situation of errors and properly promptly take a countermeasure to the errors such as making the corresponding dispensing machine unusable and so on.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit displays the countermeasure of the serious error on the monitor screen. Whereby, the countermeasure can be grasped at a glance and the error can be properly promptly restored without checking an operation manual.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit sets the dispensing machine that is unusable and stops assigning the prescription data to that dispensing machine, thereby automatically preventing the stagnancy of dispensing work.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit records the situation of the serious error in a serious error recording file, thereby easily enabling an understanding of the cause of the error.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to to accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device construction of a control apparatus for dispensing machines;
FIG. 2 is a table showing memory contents of an use condition setting file;
FIG. 3 is a table showing memory contents of a serious error setting file;
FIG. 4 is a table showing memory contents of a serious error recording file;
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a control process of dispensing machines;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen for prescription data input;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen for use situation monitor;
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a process of monitoring of dispensing machines/error situation;
FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a process of execution of dispensing machine operation; and
FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a process of execution of dispensing machine operation.